ISOLATED pensioners have the most to lose from plans to close hundreds of post offices - but campaigners say they won't give up without a fight....

ISOLATED pensioners have the most to lose from plans to close hundreds of post offices - but campaigners say they won't give up without a fight.

The Evening Telegraph this week revealed as many as 3,000 urban post offices could be lost as Consignia plans to modernise its services.

The company admitted that some of Coventry's 70 post offices could be closed. Those remaining would be revitalised into "bigger and brighter" branches, to safeguard their future and the services they offered.

Some of those to hardest hit by any closure would be the elderly who have vowed to keep the pressure on Consignia and the government.

Their pledge comes almost two years to the month that the Evening Telegraph launched its biggest campaign. It sought to save post offices threatened by the changes to benefit payments.

John Parks, chairman of the Coventry branch of the British Pensioners and Trade Union Association, backed our campaign.

He vowed to keep up the pressure. "Our opinion has not changed one iota. We are opposed to any closures," he said.

"The loss of any post office will deeply affect the local community. Our members have certainly not forgotten the Evening Telegraph campaign and why we supported it, fighting so hard to prevent any closures.

"For many pensioners the issue remains uppermost in their minds.

"It is a vital local resource. Communities have already lost transport links, bus services and local shops. It is important the local post office doesn't join that list."

The latest threat to post office branches comes as many offices face a dramatic fall in business. From next year, benefits will be paid directly into banks.

Mr Parks said: "The answer may be for the smaller offices to expand into other business areas, such as groceries.

Of course consultation is needed, but the answer cannot be to close branches."

City MPs Bob Ains-worth, Geoffrey Robinson and Jim Cunningham as well as others from the area, including Nuneaton MP Bill Olner and Caroline Spelman of Meriden were among those who backed our campaign.